U.S. Reportedly Pressuring China on Iran

WASHINGTON — Senior US officials traveled to China two weeks before President Barack Obama's trip there to pressure Beijing to further isolate Iran, The Washington Post reported Thursday.

Senior National Security Council aides Dennis Ross and Jeffrey Bader warned Chinese officials of severe consequences if Beijing did not join other countries in condemning Iran for ignoring UN resolutions and building a secret uranium enrichment plant, the Post said.

The US officials told the Chinese that Israel considers Iran's suspect nuclear program an "existential issue and that countries that have an existential issue don't listen to other countries," a senior administration official told the newspaper.